Wild Ramps: A (Fragile) Seasonal Delicacy

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It’s wild ramp season here in New York state’s beautiful Hudson Valley. Time to start seeking out these elusive, delicious plants that come but once a year…

In my opinion, nothing rivals the thrill of finding something green and edible growing after a long, cold, gray winter. Especially something as yummy as a wild ramp!

I fell in love with ramps right away, before I’d even dug the first plant out of the ground or had a chance to taste one.

They’re such beautiful plants. I think they look just like a cross between a Lily of the Valley and an onion. Strong but slender with green leaves and a beautiful purple stem and “seam” that runs partway up the leaves.

Perhaps you’re not terribly familiar with this lovely native plant? If so, allow me to introduce you. Their Latin name is allium tricoccum but they’re more commonly known as ramps, spring onions, ramsons, wild leeks, wild garlic, and, en Français, ail sauvage and ail des bois.
Ramps are perennials and grow in groups with their scallion-like bulbs firmly rooted beneath the soil. They favor sandy, moist soils and are often found near streams though you might also find them carpeting the forest floor where beech, birch, poplar and/or sugar maple trees are found.

If you spot some plants that you think fit this bill, you can test your identification by tearing off a leaf and giving it a sniff — it should smell strongly of onion or garlic.

If you are lucky enough to find some of these rare beauties, please be respectful. Due to rapidly growing demand as wild ramps have become trendy, there are increasing concerns that over-harvesting is taking a serious toll on wild populations.

You should harvest only from large, healthy beds and take, at most, a fraction (some things I’ve read suggest 15%, max) of the patch you’ve found. You can also cut just the leaves off the plants you harvest and leave the bulbs to grow back next year which is even more sustainable. If you want to know more, read this New York Times article on the topic. The good news is that these things are potent so you will not actually need to take very many plants (and again, you can also just cut the leaves off to leave the roots intact.)

If you do choose to dig them up, you’ll want to use a trowel or hoe in order to unearth them without damaging the bulb.

Keep the plants you’ve harvested cool and moist (you can just leave them in some dirt, if you like) while you pick.

Once you’ve finished your sustainable harvest, take them home and clean them up.

Peel off the papery skin, use cold water to wash off the dirt, and use a sharp knife to remove the roots, leaving the entire bulb intact. Dry them carefully with a towel to remove all the water, then bundle them together to help retain moisture and store in the refrigerator.

Just when you thought things could not possibly get any more fun, it’s time to decide what to cook with them! There are a lot of good options. Although you can eat them raw, keep in mind that they are a bit intense — if you don’t like raw onions, scallions or garlic, you’re not going to like raw ramps. But their strong, garlicky flavor is enhanced by cooking – it becomes mellower and sweeter.

Ramps are excellent grilled, sautéed, roasted, pickled, pestoed and in risotto and eggs. If you’re not feeling super adventurous, one basic rule of thumb is that you can use ramps for anything you would normally use onions or garlic. If you don’t live in an area where ramps grow wild and you have not seen them in a store near you, you can order them directly from Earthly Delights.

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Eve is the creator of The Garden of Eating, a blog about food--cooking it, eating it, and growing it. She has a legendary love of aprons and can often be found salivating over the fruits and veggies at one of the many farmers’ markets near her home in Woodstock, NY. Want even more recipes, photos, giveaways, and food-related inspiration? "Like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow Eve on Twitter or Pinterest.

Ramps do grow in MI, but it is possible that they have been exterminated where you are. I think it is irresponsible to advise people to go ramp collecting, especially with a guide line of 15% of a bed! They are imperiled in many places due to overcollecting. So, unless you have your own bit of woods or field or garden with them, please leave them in the ground!